1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital rights management (DRM) provision technology, and more particularly, to an apparatus, system, and method which can easily provide content using one or more DRM systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, digital rights management (DRM) technology protects and manages the rights of digital content creators. According to the DRM technology, a content provision server stores content in an encrypted form and provides encrypted content and key information required to decrypt the encrypted content to a user when the user makes a request for purchasing the encrypted content. The DRM technology defines the number of times that digital content can be played back, whether or not the digital content can be duplicated, the number of times the content can be duplicated, and the like.
DRM functions are largely divided into the following: the protection of digital content, the management of usage rules of the digital content, and the management of a billing system. In order to protect digital content, the DRM technology encrypts the digital content and thus prevents the illegal distribution or use of the digital content in all stages (i.e., creation, distribution, use, and disposal) of its life cycle. In addition, the DRM technology enables only an authorized user with an encryption key to decrypt and use encrypted content. Therefore, even if the encrypted content is illegally distributed, it cannot be used without the encryption key.
However, DRM technologies (such as Microsoft (MS) DRM and Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) DRM) developed by various developers are not compatible with each other. That is, a DRM structure developed by a developer runs on hardware or software that supports the DRM structure of the developer, but not on other platforms. Therefore, a user has to purchase different hardware or software that supports each DRM.
In this regard, there is a need for a technology that can play back content to which different DRM standards developed by various developers have been applied, on any host device.